Another to add to that list is that Gary Mabbut lifted the FA Cup for Tottenham to mark a record eighth win for the club in the competition.

Back then, Spurs were a cup team – a very good one at that.

But while the game has moved on, Tottenham’s trophy cabinet really hasn’t kept up.

In the previous 24 years to the Wembley win over Nottingham Forest, Spurs won three FA Cups, two UEFA Cups as well as two league cups. Since defeating Brian Clough’s side, it’s been just the two league cups added to the White Hart Lane trophy cabinet.

Sadly for Spurs fans, it’s not because overall league form has improved in the form of consistent title challenges.

Since 1991, Tottenham have never finished higher than fourth. In the previous 24 years they did it five times. Their proud cup record has too faded in that time with Manchester United and arch rivals Arsenal both now having won the FA Cup 11 times.

This is not to say Spurs are an underachieving club. In the financial and stadium stakes, there are at least five teams bigger in the Premier League.

For the club to have reached the top four twice in the last five years while being among the lowest net spenders in the division shows just how competitive they have been.

The 2010/11 Champions League season will fondly be remembered for Gareth Bale’s hat-trick at Inter Milan, Peter Crouch’s winner at AC Milan and nights where the club went toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in a quarter-final.

Except the last one on that list didn’t end too happily, because that’s where their Champions League dream came to a rather humiliating end in a 5-0 aggregate defeat.

Gareth Bale scores one of his three goals against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League in October 2010

Here is Tottenham’s problem. They are now happy to make up the numbers and go on reasonable cup runs before letting elite teams grab success. In cup terms, these top sides should be dreading Spurs.

Arguably the Premier League aside, they are good enough to win any other competition they enter. Portsmouth and Wigan are just a couple of recent teams who prove you don’t need the best squad to taste glory.

In fact, a quick glance at this season’s Europa League makes them the bookies’ favourites to win the competition. Unusual considering the club haven’t stepped foot in a European semi-final since winning the competition 30 years ago. Even Middlesbrough and Fulham have reached the final in the last decade.

Fans can often be split on whether they would rather reach the Premier League top four or win the Europa League, but with the Europa League now the gateway to the Champions League for the first time this season, there’s no reason why Tottenham can’t have their cake and eat it.

Spurs have a no worse chance of winning the Europa League than they do of reaching the top four – and the advantage of the former is a famous cup win in addition to gate-crashing Europe’s elite.

The new rule in place for this season onwards was made for clubs like Tottenham. It’s the perfect carrot to dangle for the north London side – especially if their domestic form stutters.

The road to the final in Warsaw may seem a long one, compared to short trips around England (and the odd visit to Wales) in the top flight, but it could be a more memorable one.

Partizan Belgrade and Besiktas will provide fair competition in a group also featuring Astears, but it admittedly would be a surprise should the north London side fail to progress.

Not noted however, especially in early less glamorous ties of the competition, is just how tough the tournament is to win.

Stambouli stretches during a training session at the Partizan Stadium on Wednesday night

Already in this year’s Europa League are Fiorentina, Napoli, Inter Milan and holders Sevilla who wouldn’t look out of place on a Champions League night.

With group stage drop-outs from UEFA’s premier competition to enter the knockout round of the last 32, the tournament’s strength suddenly stands out.

But this shouldn’t be a reason why Spurs should put the competition on the back-burner. On the contrary, it should be a reason to embrace it.

Steve Archibald celebrates with the trophy after Tottenham Hotspur won the UEFA Cup in 1984

Tottenham’s UEFA Cup wins in 1972 and 1984 are among the club’s most memorable nights, but with such few European memories since then, it’s time for Spurs to prove to the continent they are capable of bringing the ‘glory, glory nights’ back to White Hart Lane – as well as a cup win.

When Tottenham kick-off at Partizan Belgrade at 6pm on Thursday, supporters should be watching ITV4 believing that for the first time in a long time, Spurs are in it to win it. After all, it was 1961 double winning captain Danny Blanchflower who proclaimed ‘the game is about glory’.